FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Analysis Shows Long Term Care Residents Not Getting the Care Funding Promised

OANHSS Release (pdf format)

Queen’s Park (November 22, 2005) – An analysis released today of the McGuinty government’s last two budgets reveals that only about one-third of new funding for long term care actually was earmarked for nursing care and services for residents.

Most of the increased funding went to other areas, and that has several seniors organizations calling for the government to rectify the situation.

The Liberal government announced funding increases to long term care homes totaling $455 million over the last two budgets -- $191 million in 2004/05 and $264 million in 2005/06. These investments appeared to have fulfilled the Liberal’s election promise of a $6,000 increase in care for every long term care resident (equivalent to about $450 million).

But not so, says the Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors (OANHSS). “Those are big numbers, and they sound impressive. But when you get past the headlines and start to really look at the facts, the numbers tell a very different story,” noted Gail Carlin, Board Chair of OANHSS at a news conference at Queen’s Park.

“What you find is that most of this increased funding has NOT been allocated to direct care and services. In fact, only about a third of the total announced increases can be legitimately described as enhancing care.”

Only $144 million ($96 million in the 2004/05 budget and $48 million in the 2005/06 budget) went to base operating budgets for the provision of care and services for residents.

The remaining $311 million ($95 million in 2004/05 and $216 million in 2005/06) went to other areas ... such as system improvements and expansion and specific projects, including a nursing strategy, a public reporting website and complaints hotline, assessment and reporting protocols, a convalescent care program, supplements for homes that pay property taxes, etc.

“We’re not suggesting that these other areas are unworthy of funding. But we are saying that improving resident care and services should be the first priority,” noted Donna Rubin, CEO of OANHSS.

OANHSS was joined by a number of seniors groups at the news conference, including Canadian Pensioners Concerned, Concerned Friends of Ontario Citizens in Care Facilities, Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils, Ontario Society (Coalition) of Senior Citizens’ Organizations, and The United Senior Citizens of Ontario Inc.

Instead of the $450 million promised, the provincial government has enhanced care to residents by only $144 million. Instead of the $6,000 per resident promised, care funding per resident has been increased by less than $2,000 a year thus far.

“Residents across Ontario, through their Residents’ Councils, have expressed concern about the funding for the level of care they need for quality of life in their homes. The top priority for extra funding must be, in their view, direct care of residents,” said Pat Prentice of the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils.

“We felt that it was important to put these facts on the table so that the people of this province understand why, despite the funding announcements by government, the level of care being provided to residents is still not where it should be,” Rubin stated.

OANHSS and a number of seniors groups are calling on the McGuinty government to deliver on its promise by increasing base operating funding by $306 million annually (equivalent to an increase of $4,084 per resident per year) in the next provincial budget. Without this level of funding, many long term care residents will continue to go without the services they require.

For example:

• Residents now receive just over 2 hours of nursing and personal care over a 24-hour period. OANHSS believes that this level is unacceptable and should be closer to at least 3 hours.
   
• More personal support workers are needed. Currently, these frontline staff each care for about 10 residents, and they are stretched to the limit trying to meet residents’ basic needs.
   
• Homes are not able to provide anywhere near the level of rehabilitation and restorative care that residents need.
   
• Only a small fraction of residents currently receive professional mental health services, even though 65 per cent have Alzheimer disease or some other form of dementia.

OANHSS is the provincial association representing not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors. Members include municipal and charitable long term care homes, non-profit nursing homes, seniors’ housing projects and community service agencies. Member organizations operate over 26,000 long term care beds and over 5,000 seniors’ housing units across the province.

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For more information:

Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes & Services for Seniors
7050 Weston Road, Suite 700, Woodbridge, Ontario L4L 8G7
(P) 905-851-8821
(F) 905-851-0744

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OANHSS members include not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors in Ontario.
Members include municipal and charitable long term care homes, non-profit nursing homes,
seniors' housing projects and community service agencies.